


Magic Man

by thalialunacy



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Summer Pornathon 2013
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-17
Updated: 2013-08-17
Packaged: 2018-01-04 14:37:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1082170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thalialunacy/pseuds/thalialunacy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Merlin has a magic show at Arthur's casino. And a secret admirer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Magic Man

**Author's Note:**

> just a wee thing originally written for week 7 of the 2013 summer pornathon; this is the better version i promise.

"Another gift?" Arthur says, sitting down with his tumbler and letting himself relax into the green room chair. He's tired from a long day on the casino floor, Merlin's show had run long and involved a horrid old woman demanding free tickets for a year because she'd been traumatised by the treatment of pigeons, and all he wants to do is curl up around something. Preferably Merlin, but as Merlin's shown about as much interest in that as his whiskey has, Arthur chooses the whiskey. "And what does today's say?"

Merlin glares at the card. It's innocuous enough from the outside, but as it's the third of these such packages, Arthur knows he's wary. When he finally opens it, the title lines of Heart's ['Magic Man'](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vlAdMeZSfw) come bursting forth.

Merlin shuts it with a groan and throws it down on the table. It spins a couple times on one corner, then falls elegantly onto its back. "You've got to be kidding me."

Arthur snorts, and picks up the card, opening and shutting it again. "No, Merlin, I don't think they are, considering." _Considering that card was a proper pain in the arse to get made._ He inclines his chin at Merlin's hands. "What's in the box? Cufflinks again? Another thousand-pound pen?"

Merlin's already opened it. Arthur tries not to think about how he's thoughtlessly wound the decorative ribbon round his fingers in an intricate knot. "…it appears to be… cards."

Arthur raises an eyebrow. "That's rather droll."

But Merlin's opened the case— _Crystal, thanks very much_ —and fanned the cards out easily, rippling through them with dawning awe on his face. "With us on them. Arthur, look, you're the King and Morgana's the Queen and Gwaine's the Jack and—" He huffs out a laugh. "And of course I am the Joker. Lovely."

"Naturally."

"Arthur, these cards—" He looks up at Arthur, and for a moment Arthur's sure the game's over, but his gaze skates away, looking at the crowd behind the one-way glass. "Who on earth…"

Arthur shrugs, then picks up the tumbler once more. Disappointment is a familiar bitter flare in his belly.

\---

It's a pretty standard trick, a show opener, a getting-back-to-the-roots-of-magic sort of thing, so why Merlin's left it to the last tonight, Arthur has no idea. He tunes it out, working through the week's numbers on his tablet, and is completely unprepared for hearing his own name through the speakers. He looks up, blinking.

Merlin's standing on stage, huge ears and huge grin and all, holding up the trump card from the trick. Arthur squints, then flicks his gaze to the screen where a larger version of Merlin is projected, and his eyes widen: It's the same card he'd given Merlin the day previous, only instead of Merlin as the Joker, Arthur sees his own face.

Gobsmacked, he turns back to Merlin onstage, who is clapping his hands and exhorting the crowd to do the same. "Everybody, let's get the man of the house up here, shall we? Pendragon Casino would be nothing without the Pendragon himself, am I right?"

Arthur purses his lips, but his casino is his life, and he can't resist Merlin's smile on a good day, and once he reaches the stage amidst Merlin's closing patter, Merlin's looking at him fondly, like Arthur's a slow child and the best surprise party ever, at the same time, and Arthur's so _confused_ —

The curtain drops in front of them, and Arthur opens his mouth, but Merlin's there first, his hands curled in Arthur's clothing, one in a lapel and one in a belt-loop. He kisses Arthur once, too quickly for Arthur to respond, but his breath is welcome and hot on Arthur's lips when he speaks. "Don't you see, Arthur? _You_ are the Fool."

Arthur feels hope unfurl in his belly, spread through his limbs like good bourbon. "Apparently." And he leans in and captures Merlin's lips, for real this time. Merlin grunts and pulls him closer, and Arthur goes obligingly.

Better than whiskey.

"Wanker," he says eventually, slightly out of breath. "You let me get through three gifts."

Merlin grins against his mouth, he can feel it. "I liked them."

Arthur knows he's grinning foolishly as well. "Of course you did."

"But all you had to do was ask."

Arthur nudges at Merlin's jaw with his lips, ignoring the blush staining his cheeks. "You could've asked too, you know."

Merlin pulls back, his ears huge, his cheekbones softened by his smile, and his eyes twinkling. Arthur thinks it might be the most fantastic thing he's ever seen. "And miss the card with 'Magic Man' in? Never."

Arthur cuts off his laugh with a kiss, and neither of them speak again for a while after that.

_**fin** _


End file.
